Combination cast protector and diaper holder



June 24, 1958 w. A. MORGAN 2,840,077

COMBINATION CAST PROTECTOR AND DIAPER HOLDER Filed Sept. 27, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTDQNEYS June 24, 1958 w. A. MORGAN 2,840,077

COMBINATION CAST PROTECTOR AND DIAPER HOLDER Filed Sept. 27, 1957 Y 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. wmu a A. MORE-AN ATTOQN EYE- United StatesPatentQ COMBINATION cAsr PROTECTOR AND DIAPER HOLDER Willie A. Morgan,Lawton, Okla.

Application September 27, 1957, Serial No. 686,774 4 Claims. c1.12s z s4body, and about the legs, for the purpose of aiding in treatment of theinfant for dislocated hip or hips, broken hip orhips, broken pelvis,broken legs, :etc. Such a cast is known as a frog-leg type, and,is-provided, at the lower end of the trunk, with an opening throughwhich wastes eliminated by the infant may pass.

It hasbeen foundthat the cast tends to become wet and soiled, anddefinitely unsanitary, in the region of the cast that extends about saidopening. This is readily understandable, in view of the fact that inmany instances, the diaper will come in direct contact with the cast. Inother instances, the edge of the opening is wholly unprotected, and istherefore impinged upon the eliminated wastes. Keeping the cast dry andcleantis avery serious problem, accentuated by the long. period of timeduring which the cast must remain upon the infant. The conventional useof diapers or diaper holders is not possible, since ordinary diaperholders are designed to fit fairly snugly against the childs body, thisbeing impossible, of course, where the body is directly contacted by thecast. Further, even should there be a space between the childs body andthe cast, it is impossible toinsert a complete diaper holderinto saidspace. t f

There has been, therefore, no protection for the 'edge of the opening,that is, for the wall of the cast opening, the inner surface of the castimmediately adjacent and surrounding said opening, and the outer surfaceof the cast in the same region.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a combinationcast protector and diaperv holder that will eliminate all thedifliculties that have been described above.

Another object of importance is to provide, in a device of this nature,a protective portion of the protector or diaper holder, which willoverlie the wall of the opening and the inner surface of the cast in thearea surrounding the diaper, while still providing full comfort so faras the child is concerned.

Yet another object is to provide a garment of the character describedwhich will be particularly designed to facilitate its application orremoval.

A further object is to facilitate the swift insertion or removal of aconventional diaper, in the garment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combination garment, fully openedand showing the inner surface.

thereof;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, on a slightly enlargedscale,substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is aperspective view of the garment, as it appears when it isbrought up about the trunk of the infant in its use position; I

Figure 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing the garmentapplied to a surgical, frog-leg" cast;

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4 in which the garment has been opened;and 1 Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the garment 10 constituting thepresent invention comprises a generally rectangular covering overlyingthe lower portion of a surgical cast generally designated 12 having thebody or trunk part 14-merging into the leg portions 16, said cast havingthe usual approximately oval, comparatively large opening 20 at thecrotch 18, through which opening wastes eliminated from the body B ofthe infant may pass.

The garment includes an outer panel 28 which may be of laminatedconstruction, including an outer or covering plate 22 of fabric, and aninner piece 24 which may be of a flexible, thin material such asplastic. The outer piece can be ornamentally colored or otherwisefinished, so as to provide a dressy or attractive appearance for thepanty-type protector constituting the present invention.

The outer and inner pieces 22, 24 are stitched together throughout theirperipheries, at 26, as shown in Figure 1. In this connection, the outerpanel 28 need not necessarily be of laminated formation, of course.

In any event, elongated, shallow recesses 30 are formed in the oppositesides of the outer panel 28, and define at opposite ends of said sideslaterally outwardly extending projections 32, the projections at one endof the panel being narrower than those at the opposite end. Extendinglaterally outwardly from each of the narrower projections '32 are ties34. Cooperating ties 36 are extended longitudinally of the outer panel,from the other projections 32, so that when the projections areoverlapped to provide leg openings as shown in Figure 3, saidprojections may be tied together, also as best shown in this figure ofthe drawing. ."An'inner panel 38, also of a waterproof material, issecured at its periphery to the periphery of the outer panel by thestitching 26. Inner panel 38 thus cooperates with the outer panel indefining a cavity, extending over substantially the full area of .thegarment, designated at 29 and adapted to receive a conventional, foldeddiaper D.

Centrally formed in the inner panel 38 is'an elongated opening 40corresponding in size and configuration to the cast opening 20. Saidopening communicates with the cavity 29 as shown in Figure 2. Extendingabout the opening, and secured to the inner panel 38 in overlyingrelation thereto, is a protective, wide, continuous lip or flange 42,the inner edge of which is registered with the edge of the opening 40,said flange 42 being secured by stitching 44 to the inner panel 38.

The flange 42 is also formed of a flexible, waterproof material such asplastic.

In use of the invention, one first inserts a folded diaper D in cavity29, through opening 40. The center portion of the diaper is thus exposedthrough the opening so as to receive wastes eliminated by the infantthrough opening 20 of the cast.

The garment with the inserted diaper is then applied as shown in Figure5. The garment is merely placed at one and under the trunk portion 14 ofthe cast, and

Patented June 24, 1958 then folded upwardly over the crotch, in a mannersimilar to application of a conventional diaper, after" which" the ties34, 36 are connected" as shown in Figures 3 and 4 However, .before thegarment is brought up and tied, the flangei42"is"inserted, ov r" thefullcircumference or the opening 40, into the opening 20, and is pushed: up

into overlying relation to"th'e inner surface of east,

through the full areaof said inner surface tha't surrounds" the edgeportion of the opening 20, b oth onthe. inner and outer? surfaces ofthecast are covered by waterproofing material as at 42, 38 respectively.Therefore, whenthe wastes are eliminated, they can under nocircumstances impinge upon the edge portion of the opening, or upon theinner surface of the cast. assured, with possibility. of soilage beingreduced to a full minimum. At the same time, the ,applicationor removalof the. garment, andthechanging of diapers, is

accomplished with maximum speed and case.

It is believed apparent thatthe inventionzis not necessarily confined tothe specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is theinvention; to be necessarily limited to the specific constructionillustrated and described, since such construction is only intended tobe illustrative of the principles of operation, and the means presentlydevised to carry out saidprinciples, it being considered that theinvention comprehends any minor change in constructionthat may be,permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. A combination surgical cast protector and diaper holder, forapplication to a surgical cast having a trunkencircling portion formedat its lower end with an opening, comprising: an outerpanel; an innerpanel peripherally secured to the outer panel to cooperate with theouterpanel in forming a cavity between the panels in which a diaper may bedisposed, said innerpanel having a centrally disposed opening adapted tobe registered with that of the cast; and a' protective flange secured tothe inner panel in position extending about said opening thereof, so asto cooperate with the inner panel. in embracing between them' theportion of the cast that surrounds the cast opening.

2. A combination surgical cast protector and diaper A clean, dry cast isthus holder, for application to a surgical cast having atrunkencircling" portion formedat its lower end with an opening,comprising: an outer panel; an inner panel peripherally secured to theouter panel to cooperate with the outer panel in forming a cavitybetween the panels in which a diaper may be disposed, said inner panelhaving a centrally disposed openingqadapted to be registered with thatof the cast; and'a protective flange secured to the inner panel in.position extending about said opening thereof, so as to cooperate"withthe inner panel in embracing between themthe portion of the cast thatsurrounds the cast opening, said flange being formed from a wide,continuous 'strip' or flexible material.

3. A combination surgical cast protector and diaper holder, forapplication to a surgical cast having a trunkencircling portionformed atits lower end with an opening, comprising: an outer panel; an innerpanel peripherally secured to the outer panel to cooperate with theoirter' panel in forming a cavity betwee'n'the panels in which a diapermaybe disposed, said'in'ner" panel having a centrally disposed openingadapted to be registered with that of the cas'tyand a protective flangesecured to the inner panel'in position extending about said openingthereof, so as to cooperate with the'inner panel in embracing betweenthem the portion'ofth'e cast that surrounds the cast opening, saidtlange being 'for'med from ajwide, continuous'strip'of fiexible.material, at least the inner panel and flange being formed of awaterproof material.

4. A combination surgical cast'protector and diaper holder, forapplication to a surgical cast having a'trunkencircling portion formedat its lower end with an opening,

7 comprising: an outer panel; aninner panel peripherally secured totheouter panel to cooperate with the outer panel informing a cavitybetween the panels in which a diaper may be disposed; said' inner panelhaving a centrallydisp'os'ed opening adaptedto be registered with that 1of the cast; and a protective flange secured to theinner panel inposition extending about said" opening thereof, so as to cooperate withthe inner panel in embracing between them the portion of i the cast thatsurrounds the cast opening, said outer panel including means 'at itsopposite ends for connecting the ends of the outer panel together atopposite sides of the outer panel, in position receiving saidtrunkp'ortio'n of the cast.

References Cited in the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Friem'anW--. Oct. s, 1948 Donovan Nov. 31, 1951

